Dubai Expo City, the venue for the COP28 climate conference taking place from 30 November to 12 December has two dedicated zones, the Blue Zone managed by United Nations Climate Change, which will be for accredited parties and observer delegates, and the Green Zone dedicated to civil society.
The Green Zone is managed and delivered by the COP28 UAE Presidency. Free-of-charge and open to everyone, the zone offers a platform to non-accredited delegates, including youth groups, civil society, NGOs, the private sector, and indigenous groups, to have their voices heard, promoting dialogue and awareness about climate action.
The Green Zone is the space where it is hoped collective action can transform climate policy into concrete outcomes. With an all-hands-on-deck approach, it will accelerate the energy transition, building upon a legacy of driving impactful initiatives and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
COP28’s mission in the Green Zone is to translate insights and ideas into meaningful impact.Visitors can explore breakthrough climate innovations, cutting-edge tech, interactive exhibits, inspiring art installations, film screenings, and talks across Expo City Dubai.
Green Zone, which is located adjacent to the Blue Zone, will be operational between Thursday 30 November and Tuesday 12 December 2023.
Seven dedicated thematic hubs at the Green Zone will help connect, collaborate, and accelerate climate action. These hubs will give climate curious individuals opportunities to get inspired, learn, develop new skills, and collaborate to co-create and speedup climate solutions. These spaces of discovery include:
● Energy Transition Hub: This will be the place for connecting, collaborating and sharing insights, strategies and solutions to combat climate change.
● Climate Finance Hub: At the center of COP28’s transformative mission, this place will host key players from the financial industry.Technology and Innovation Hub: This will be where cutting-edge technologies and progressive thinking will converge to create innovative solutions aimed at tackling climate change and keeping 1.5℃ within reach.
● Startup Village: This will be dedicated space within the Tech and Innovation Hub and feature over a 100 climate tech startups.
● Humanitarian Hub: This space will raise awareness about the humanitarian impacts of the climate crisis and inspire action to address climate related risks.
● Greening Education Hub: In partnership with the UAE Ministry of Education,the Greening Education Pavilion, also known as Erth, Legacy for the Land of Zayed.
● Knowledge Hub: This will serve as a platform to bring together NGOs, UAE government ministries, local government entities and their partners.
● Youth Hub: This will be space to engage and amplify the voices of youth and indigenous peoples. It will allow young people to gather, to organize events, exchange ideas, find opportunities, and engage in climate change discussions.
World leaders to attend Climate Action Summit (WCAS) at COP28
United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has invited Heads of State or Government to participate in the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS), which will be held on 1 and 2 December, when the first part of the high-level segment for Heads of State or Government will also take place at COP28.
The invitation to the WCAS in the United Arab Emirates signifies the importance for world leaders to implement and transform key climate related decisions into concrete actions and credible plans. Their participation is key to continue raising ambition, building up from previous Conference of the Parties, and keep the high level commitment on climate change issues, with an aim to fight back climate emergency and to promote coordinated action to tackle climate change.
The WCAS will headline the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is taking place in Dubai, UAE from 30 November to 12 December.